Give ‘World of Dance’ a whirl this summer
Dance competition is fresh and peppy
Sometimes it feels really good to see sequin-clad dancers knock it out of the park. Feeling good is seemingly the No. 1 priority of NBC’s new reality competition show, World of Dance (Tuesdays, 10 ET/ PT). Produced by Jennifer Lopez, the new show, inspired by the global World of
Dance movement, brings together a diverse group of dancers to vie for a $1 million prize. Lopez is judging the acts with
Dancing With the Stars alum Derek Hough and artist Ne-Yo, with Jenna Dewan-Tatum as host. And it may just be the feel-good show you’ve been looking for this summer.
World of Dance draws obvious comparisons to DWTS as well as So You Think You Can
Dance and America’s Got Talent. But that’s OK. It takes a lot of what those shows do well, and leaves their flaws behind.
The scores are determined entirely by the judges and the focus is definitely on the dance. And the snappy hour-long episodes will delight anyone tired of the bloated multihour rivals that never seem to end.
If complex and stunning dance routines are what you’re into, the show delivers that in spades. When Lopez touts the show as featuring the world’s best dancers, she’s not exaggerating. OK, maybe a little, but they’re clearly trying.
The show also has a sense of inclusion that you don’t always find on reality TV. It’s a little too soon to tell if
World of Dance will keep up its peppy and inclusive tone, and if it will continue to focus on dancing rather than its celebrity judges or external drama. But considering its quick 10episode season, there’s less opportunity for it to veer from its path.
And when you need a distraction from the world, aren’t awe-inspiring dancing and happy crying nice to count on?